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Gray to face Padres for first time in '17 By Max Gelman / MLB.com | 9:24 AM ET The Rockies and Padres wrap up their three-game set at Coors Field with a Wednesday matinee.

Rockies righty Jon Gray will look to rebound from his poor start last time out, when he gave up eight runs in two-plus

innings vs. the Mets in the Rockies' second-half opener. Gray is making his fourth start since returning from the 10-day

disabled list with a broken bone in his foot.

His previous outing swelled his ERA to 6.23, and he's given up 12 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings off the DL.

Gray has not faced the Padres yet this season, but Wednesday will be his eighth career start vs. the Friars, breaking a tie

with the Dodgers as the team he's faced most often. He is 2-2 with a 2.30 ERA against San Diego.

For the Padres, veteran lefty Clayton Richard takes the mound for his 20th start of the season. Richard is having a

relatively down year in his first season as a full-time starting pitcher since 2013, leading MLB with 142 hits allowed 115 2/3

innings.

Three things to know about this game

• Richard's 57.3 percent ground-ball rate is tops in the National League this year. But too often recently, those ground

balls have found holes. He allowed 11 hits in his last start. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Richard also leads the NL in double-

play grounders with 19. He's developed a knack for working out of trouble.

MEDIA CLIPS – July 19, 2017

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• Gray has allowed 24 hits over 13 2/3 innings since returning from the disabled list on June 30, but 15 of those have

fallen below Statcast's "hard-hit" threshold of 95 mph. That's the most hits allowed below 95 mph for any pitcher in that

span.

• Carlos Gonzalez is tied with Braves outfielder Matt Kemp for the most at-bats against Richard with 35, but that hasn't

brought him much success. Gonzalez is just a .229/.270/.229 lifetime hitter vs. the Padres' lefty. All eight of Gonzalez's

hits off Richard have been singles.

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Rockies outslug Padres for third straight win By AJ Cassavell and Thomas Harding / MLB.com | 1:17 AM ET

DENVER -- Mark Reynolds and Carlos Gonzalez ended long droughts, and Antonio Senzatela won in his first start in

nearly four weeks, as the Rockies won their third straight, 9-7, over the Padres at Coors Field on Tuesday night.

Reynolds' first-inning homer off Padres starter Dinelson Lamet (3-4) was his 20th of the season but his first in 56 at-bats.

Gonzalez ended an 11 at-bat hitless streak with a two-run double in the fifth, and added an RBI single in the sixth.

Gerardo Parra was 3-for-3 with two walks, and Alexi Amarista went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI as star third

baseman Nolan Arenado rested. The Rockies -- currently in the second National League Wild Card spot -- stayed a half-

game behind the Wild Card-leading D-backs.

"It's a good mix," Gonzalez said. "We have a lot of good players on this team, offensively. Whenever we score more runs

and give the pitching staff more room to breathe, it's nice."

Senzatela (10-3), who made three bullpen appearances and a Triple-A start since his last Rockies start on June 22, gave

up four runs (three earned) on four hits in five innings. Three runs came in the first inning before he settled down.

Wil Myers launched his 17th homer of the season, a solo shot in the top of the fifth, giving the Padres a short-lived 4-3

lead. It was his first since June 29, after he started the month 8-for-43 with just two extra-base hits. Myers also walked

twice Tuesday, perhaps evidence that he's poised to break out of his funk.

"I felt like I took some strides today," Myers said.

Carlos Asuaje also homered, the first of his career.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

The last line of defense: After yielding Asuaje's seventh-inning leadoff homer and walking Myers, Rockies

reliever Jordan Lyles set about holding the lead at 9-7 -- despite some defensive misfortune. Normally steady second

baseman DJ LeMahieu let Cory Spangenberg's grounder bounce out of his glove for an error, and the Padres loaded

the bases when Jabari Blash's hard grounder bounced off third baseman Pat Valaika's chest for an infield hit. But Lyles

forced Erick Aybar into a 3-6-1 double play. More >

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"Jordan kept giving up grounders and they kept getting on base," said Rockies manager Bud Black, who watched Jake

McGee pitch a clean eighth with one strikeout and Greg Holland strike out all comers in the ninth to go to 30-for-31 on

save opportunities. "But finally, we made a tough turn."

Can't hang on: The Padres had taken a 4-3 lead on Myers' fifth-inning solo shot off Senzatela, only to see their catching

abilities zapped in the bottom of the inning. Charlie Blackmon's leadoff drive bounced out of the glove of Padres center

fielder Manuel Margot near the wall and was ruled a triple. (The play extended Blackmon's hit streak to 13 games.)

Padres right fielder Blash simply dropped LeMahieu's sacrifice fly, and LeMahieu would eventually score in the Rockies'

four-run inning.

"They made us pay for our mistakes defensively," said Padres manager Andy Green. "When we had the opportunity to

make them pay, we weren't able to do that."

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

The victory was the Rockies' 1,000th at Coors Field, which opened in 1995.

SHORT LEASH

With Lamet sitting on just 77 pitches in the fifth, Green decided to go to his 'pen for right-hander Phil Maton. "Strategic,

more than anything else," Green said of his reasoning. "When we looked at that pocket of hitters in the lineup … Phil

Maton's strengths match up with them very, very well." Maton struck out Reynolds, before Gonzalez's double gave the

Rockies the lead for good. Lamet was charged with six runs (five earned) on four hits over four-plus innings.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Blackmon led off the eighth inning with a sharp ground ball to Myers, but Myers was unable to glove it on the first try. He

found it behind him, picked it up and flipped it to the pitcher covering for the out, but Black challenged the close call.

Replay confirmed the out.

WHAT'S NEXT

Padres: Clayton Richard (5-9, 4.75 ERA) makes his second start of the second half on Wednesday afternoon, when the

Rockies and Padres wrap up their three-game set at 12:10 p.m. PT. The veteran left-hander was named as San Diego's

Heart and Hustle Award nominee on Tuesday.

Rockies: Jon Gray (2-1, 6.23 ERA) will take the mound at 1:10 p.m. MT for his fourth start since returning from the

disabled list with a navicular stress fracture in his foot. Gray had trouble with bloop hits in his last outing vs. the Mets, who

jumped on him for eight runs in two innings.

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Bettis fires 2 2/3 innings in 2nd rehab outing By Chad Thornburg / MLB.com | July 18th, 2017

Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis continued his road to recovery from testicular cancer Tuesday with his second Minor

League rehab appearance.

Bettis pitched 2 2/3 innings for Double-A Hartford, holding the Bowie Baysox to one run, a solo homer, and three hits. He

struck out three batters and walked one on 46 pitches (29 strikes).

Bettis was originally slated to start, but was pushed back into a relief role over concerns the weather might impact the

start of the game.

Bettis, who left the Rockies in Spring Training when he learned his cancer had unexpectedly spread, returned to the

mound last week, pitching two innings for Hartford. He last pitched in the Majors in 2016, going 14-8 with a 4.79 ERA in

32 starts with Colorado.

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Dahl happy with progress in rehab Rockies outfielder: 'I feel better than I thought I would' By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | July 18th, 2017

DENVER -- Rockies outfielder David Dahl, on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Albuquerque for a rib injury that has kept

him out of the Majors all season, feels like he is on a faster-than-expected track back to Denver.

"I feel better than I thought I would," Dahl said Tuesday by phone from Albuquerque, where he was scheduled to start the

first game of a doubleheader against Tacoma. "I'm seeing the ball pretty well. But I'm still a tick late on fastballs and kind

of off anticipating how breaking balls are going to break. I can see the spin, but where it's going to end up is something I'm

working on getting back fully.

"I'm getting my legs under me while getting back to playing every single day. It's fun to be back out there playing every

day."

The 23-year-old Dahl, who hit .315 with seven homers and 24 RBIs in 63 games as a rookie last season, sustained a

stress reaction in his sixth rib early in Spring Training.

Dahl began a maximum 20-day rehab assignment last Wednesday, the first two games at Class A Advanced Lancaster

and four more (entering Tuesday) at Albuquerque. Six games into what amounts to an accelerated Spring Training, he

was hitting .333 (7-for-21) with a home run, eight RBIs and a triple, and he had played all three outfield positions.

Depending on the Rockies' needs, they could recall Dahl from the assignment early or when the 20-day clock expires. If

he isn't ready or if there isn't a roster spot, Colorado could option him to Albuquerque and then recall him when (or before)

the rosters expand to 40 on Sept. 1.

What's difficult is determining how much time a player who didn't have a true Spring Training needs. Dahl said he can't

compare it to a normal Spring Training because the pace is different. He was playing the full nine innings in his fourth

rehab game. That would occur much later in a regular spring.

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Manager Bud Black said there is no predetermined number of at-bats before Dahl will be considered for a return. Dahl

said he is just focusing on being ready when the call comes.

"I'm really excited for when I can come back, but right now I'm focused on where I am every day here, getting my at-bats

and putting the work in," Dahl said. "I'm not looking ahead."

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Rox overcome miscue, turn crucial double play Reliever Lyles buckles down to preserve lead in seventh By Max Gelman / MLB.com | 12:16 AM ET

DENVER -- The seventh inning of the Rockies 9-7 win over the Padres on Tuesday night was quite an adventure for

reliever Jordan Lyles.

Lyles entered the previous inning, replacing Chris Rusin and induced a first-pitch groundout to end the sixth, but started

the seventh by giving up Carlos Asuaje's first Major League home run. Then he walked Wil Myers to bring the tying run

to the plate.

That was when Lyles buckled down. After a foul popup from Jose Pirela, Lyles got three straight ground balls to three

different infielders. Though DJ LeMahieu committed an error on the first and Jabari Blash legged out an infield single on

the second, the third ground ball -- off Lyles' only changeup of the night -- turned into an inning-ending 3-6-1 double play.

"DJ, I know he wants [that] back, he's a Gold Glover for a reason, and more times than not, he makes that play," Lyles

said. "But just trying to stick with the plan … it wasn't time to give in, and I was able to throw a changeup and get Aybar to

roll over it."

The Rockies' bullpen has hit a rough patch recently and Tuesday's seventh inning was nearly another collapse. As the

non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches with the Rockies in contention, relief help behind closer Greg Holland is the

club's No. 1 priority.

This season has also been a grind for Lyles, who has a 6.70 ERA in 41 2/3 innings. With starter Antonio Senzatela only

throwing five innings, Lyles said he was on his toes in the bullpen.

Additionally, to be able to get that inning-ending double play was a sigh of relief for Lyles.

"Definitely after making that bad pitch to lead off the inning with the leadoff homer," Lyles said. "Had some traffic, but at

the end of the day it's about the scoreboard and we still had a game to win, so I had to put all that aside, keep focusing,

tried to get ground balls and finally that last one worked out."

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Tapia optioned to make room for Senzatela

By Max Gelman / MLB.com | July 18th, 2017

DENVER -- Antonio Senzatela was called up Tuesday to start the second game in a three-game set vs. the Padres, and

the Rockies optioned Raimel Tapia to Albuquerque to make room on the roster, again giving them four bench players and

eight relievers.

Since he was recalled on June 6, Tapia mostly filled in for the injured Gerardo Parra and Ian Desmond, hitting .356 (32-

for-90).

"Tough one," manager Bud Black said. "[Tapia] was instrumental in a number of our wins and we liked the fact that he

comes to the park with energy, a smile on his face, he loves to play and he's about winning."

Black did not rule out Tapia coming back to the Majors this season.

"Like we told him, this is a part of being a young player on a team that has some established veteran guys, and I expect at

some point that he could return and help us win games," Black said.

The Rockies had sent Senzatela to Triple-A Albuquerque essentially for a breather as his innings built up. Senzatela

threw just 34 2/3 innings in an injury-riddled 2016 for Double-A Hartford.

"He threw 60 pitches in Albuquerque last Thursday to set him up for this, he threw a couple times in relief to keep current,"

Black said. "But we think it's been a nice little break for him from his last start on June 22."

Entering Tuesday, Senzatela has thrown 96 2/3 innings this year between the Majors and Albuquerque. His career-high

was 154 innings in 2015 for Class A Advanced.

Worth Noting

• Rookie left-hander Kyle Freeland will return to the rotation and start Sunday vs. the Pirates, Black said. Freeland made

his last start on July 9, when he came two outs short of the first Rockies no-hitter at Coors Field. He made one relief

appearance against the Mets on July 15, throwing three hitless innings.

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Freeland said he understands the Rockies trying to limit his innings, but said he's prepared for anything.

"[I understand it], especially after last year when I hit the most amount of innings I've ever thrown," Freeland said. "I'm

already sneaking up on that now and we've just started the second half."

• Tyler Chatwood is feeling less soreness in the calf that forced him from his last start after just 19 pitches, and he played

catch Monday. He could throw off a mound as soon as Wednesday.

• Tyler Anderson played catch Tuesday while wearing a knee brace. Anderson had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee

July 3 and he's still in the stage of his rehab where he's strengthening the knee.

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Carlos Gonzalez finds his swing as Rockies bust out again in marathon win over Padres After a 9-7 victory over the San Diego Padres, Colorado’s 1,000th at Coors Field, the Rockies have reason to believe in their bats By Nick Groke / Denver Post | July 18th, 2017

The three-legged race through the National League West took a long-distance turn Tuesday when, far away from Coors

Field, the Arizona Diamondbacks traded for one of the most impactful bats available on the open market in J.D. Martinez.

An hour or so later, the D-Backs trounced the Cincinnati Reds.

The Rockies, meanwhile, looked within, repeating a maxim they have clung to for weeks: The offense will find life.

After a 9-7 victory over the visiting San Diego Padres, Colorado’s 1,000th at Coors Field, the Rockies have reason to

believe in their bats. In a third consecutive victory, each with at least nine runs scored, the Rockies broke out again at the

plate.

Carlos Gonzalez, hibernating in a nest of strikeouts and crooked swings for a month, doubled in two runs in the fifth inning

and singled in another in the sixth. Gerardo Parra doubled with two singles and scored three runs and Mark Reynolds hit

a three-run homer as the Rockies clinched their first series victory since June 18.

“I got some pitches today and I was able to get two big hits for the team. That’s all I’m looking for,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a

good mix. We have a lot of good players on this team, offensively.”

The Rockies needed every bit of Gonzalez’s efforts and an active lineup in a marathon with the Padres. San Diego

pegged Rockies rookie right-hander Antonio Senzatela for three runs in the first inning, including an RBI double from Jose

Pirela. Mark Reynolds, though, tied the game with one swing in the bottom half, sailing a home run to center that also

scored Charlie Blackmon and Parra.

Senzatela, a 22-year-old from Venezuela, was pitching his first start since June 22, after the Rockies set him aside for a

bullpen breather in his first full season. He settled in to get 12 of the next 15 batters he faced. Wil Myers’ solo homer to left

in the fifth inning gave San Diego a 4-3 lead.

The Rockies quickly wrested control. They sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth and scored four runs,

two of them on Gonzalez’s double off the fence above the bullpen wall in left-center. It was Gonzalez’s first double since

June 21 and just his third extra-base hit since June 6.

“We know CarGo. CarGo is the man on this team,” Parra said. “Even when he is struggling, he is the man.”

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When the Rockies faded from first place in the West at the end of June, including an eight-game losing skid, the slump

neatly coincided with Gonzalez’s. On a team with four all-stars, the lefty slugger with the sweet swing is crucial to the

Rockies’ run this season.

“I’m a Carlos Gonzalez fan,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. His confidence in the Rockies’ right fielder, who was

hitting just .214 coming in, with six home runs, remained “high,” Black said.

Gonzalez lined a run-scoring single to right in the sixth that gave the Rox a 9-6 lead. Then Coors Field crossed its fingers.

Senzatela exited before the sixth inning after allowing four hits and three earned runs. Lefty long man Chris Rusin then

was nibbled for two infield hits, a sacrifice fly from Erick Aybar and a run-adding single from pinch-hitter Matt Szczur.

Jordan Lyles replaced Rusin to allow a leadoff homer to Carlos Asuaje, the first of Asuaje’s career. Anxiety swelled as the

bases loaded, on a walk, a DJ LeMahieu error and an infield single. But Lyles dreamed up an inning-killing double play,

from Reynolds to Trevor Story and back to Lyles at first. Jake McGee and Greg Holland shut down the eight and ninth

innings, with Holland earning his 30th save of the season.

The Rockies have scored 31 runs in three days, finding, for now, the offense they had sought.

“Maybe four wins tomorrow. Maybe 20 more runs,” said Parra, his right calf wrapped and iced after a foul ball bruised his

leg. “We just stay positive and play hard and play together.”

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Rockies still chasing with MLB trade deadline nearing; Kyle Freeland returns to rotation; Raimel Tapia sent down Freeland will start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates By Nick Groke / Denver Post | July 18th, 2017

The National League West, a hub of competitiveness this season, added a new dimension Tuesday when the Arizona

Diamondbacks traded three prospects to the Detroit Tigers for right-handed slugger J.D. Martinez. Not only did the D-

backs add a potent bat, they kept one away from the Rockies.

Martinez, who owns baseball’s fourth-best OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) at 1.018, adds another impact bat to

a lineup that already ranks seventh in the majors in runs.

The Rockies and general manager Jeff Bridich, meanwhile, remain focused on another facet of the game.

“Any team or general manager is always looking for an opportunity to upgrade his club,” Colorado manager Bud Black

said. “And Jeff and his guys are doing everything they can to make that happen.”

Black, a former pitcher, smiled and admitted he is not shy about being greedy in asking for more pitching. And Bridich on

Tuesday said in a radio interview that he is looking for “some kind of assistance to our bullpen.”

Said Black: “Rest assured, our guys are doing their due diligence. You know what we like? Good players. Pitchers

included.”

Freeland to start. Rookie left-hander Kyle Freeland will start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field in his

first game in the rotation since a near-no hitter July 9 against the visiting Chicago White Sox. After the all-star break,

Freeland appeared in a three-inning relief outing last week against the Mets at New York.

“My body feels good. My arm feels good. They wanted to give me a little extra time,” said Freeland, 24. “I got a little rest.

And it will be nice to continue to get a little rest.”

Skipping Freeland’s turn in the rotation follows a Rockies pattern this year as they try to extend the health and length of

four rookie starting pitchers. Antonio Senzatela, 22, on Tuesday returned to the rotation for his first start since June 22. In

the interim, he made three relief appearances and one start in Triple-A. German Marquez, 22, who struck nine in a win

Monday, started the season in the bullpen. And Jeff Hoffman, 24, began his year in Triple-A.

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Black said Freeland might get another breather soon. With Tyler Chatwood (strained calf) and Tyler Anderson (knee

surgery) on the disabled list, their options are currently limited.

“When we look at them, there might be different points in the season when an extra days rest or a skipped turn in the

rotation might be advantageous for any starting pitcher,” Black said.

Tapia down. Rookie outfielder Raimel Tapia was sent to Triple-A to make room on the roster for Senzatela, a decision

that was not easy to make, Black said. Tapia was hitting .314 in 40 games, including a healthy .369 on-base percentage.

“Tough one,” Black said. “He was instrumental in a number of our wins. We like the fact he comes to the park with energy

and a smile on his face. He loves to play. He’s about winning. I told him, ‘This is part of being a young player on a team

with established veteran guys.’ I expect at some point he could return to help us win games.”

Those veteran players include Carlos Gonzalez, who returned to the lineup Tuesday, but was hitting .214 in a season-

long slump.

Footnotes. Utility infielder Alexi Amarista started at third base in place of Nolan Arenado, who was given a breather. …

Chatwood played catch Monday and ran around the outfield Tuesday while recovering from a strained calf… Chad Bettis

threw 2 2/3 innings in his second rehab outing for Double-A Hartford, giving up three hits and one earned run, with three

strikeouts, over 46 pitches. He cruised through two innings on 20 pitches before allowing a home run and a double in the

third.

Looking ahead

Padres LHP Clayton Richard (5-9, 4.75 ERA) at Rockies RHP Jon Gray (2-1, 6.23), 1:10 P.M. Wednesday, no TV;

850 AM

Gray regained the top spot in the Rockies’ rotation last week, starting their first game after the all-star break in New York.

And he struggled, giving up eight runs in just two-plus innings of work. After missing 77 days with a broken foot, Gray has

only six starts in this season. And his sideways outing in a loss to the Mets nearly doubled his ERA. When he’s on, Gray

is Colorado’s best strikeout thrower. Richard has allowed 142 hits this season, most in the National League. — Nick

Groke, The Denver Post

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Rockies announcer Jerry Schemmel will cycle 112 miles with a heavy heart to remember the 1989 Iowa plane crash “A part of me died in that crash,” Schemmel said Tuesday. By Nick Groke / Denver Post | July 18th, 2017

Jerry Schemmel’s solitary bike ride Thursday, down the Front Range from Littleton to the Air Force Academy and back

again, will give him plenty of time to think. And there is a lot to think about.

The Rockies radio announcer plans to ride exactly 112 miles to honor the 28th anniversary of the crash of Flight 232 in

Sioux City, Iowa — one mile for each victim. Schemmel was a passenger on a United DC-10 flying from Denver to

Chicago on July 19, 1989, when the plane lost hydraulic power and a rear engine exploded. It crashed in cartwheels

through a cornfield, killing 112 people on board.

“It’s my way to personally honor the victims of the crash and the families who were left behind,” Schemmel said Tuesday

at Coors Field before his broadcast of the San Diego Padres-Rockies game.

A game day Wednesday, on the anniversary, will delay Schemmel’s ride to Thursday, but this is the 10th year he will

make the six-hour ride.

Incredibly, 184 people survived the crash, including Schemmel. He walked back into the burning debris when he heard a

baby crying. He has been reluctant over the years to talk about the crash, until three years ago, when he attended a 25th

anniversary remembrance in Iowa. Schemmel described a chaotic scene of smoke and fire and debris, with bodies thrown

from the plane.

Schemmel, 57, is an accomplished cyclist, having completed the Race Across America two years ago, a seven-day,

transcontinental bike race that he finished in a two-man relay over more than 3,000 miles. He rode that route in part to

raise money for an orphanage in Haiti.

“A part of me died in that crash,” Schemmel said Tuesday. “It took a chunk of my heart. But cycling makes me feel alive

again.”

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Rockies break out the bats again in 9-7 win over Padres Colorado proves it doesn’t need offense by scoring nine runs off San Diego rookie pitchers By Richard Bergstrom / Purple Row | July 18th, 2017

The Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 9-7 on Tuesday night to clinch a series victory.

Though the focus at the beginning of the game was the return of Antonio Senzatela to the mound, it was how Nolan

Arenado’s day off affected the team and the possible return of Carlos Gonzalez’s bat that stole the spotlight. The slumping

slugger went 2-for-4 with three RBI, including a two run double which was Gonzalez’s first extra base hit since June 21.

Meanwhile, Gerardo Parra, who was batting in Arenado’s usual third spot, went 2-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and three

runs scored. After an offensive slump during the Rockies’ June 22-July 2 free fall, the team has shown a little bit of life of

late, earning taco’s five times in 12 games against the pitching staffs of non-contending teams like the Padres, White

Sox and Reds. Tonight the Rockies faced Padres rookie pitcher Dinelson Lamet, who entered the game with a 6.40 ERA

and struggles against lefty hitters. Taco’s Tuesday rightfully ensued, though nine runs against a guy who usually gives up

six isn’t too spicy.

The scoring started early as the Padres got three runs off of Senzatela in the first inning. Two runs scored because of a

throwing error by Alexi Amarista, who was filling in at third base for Arenado. The Rockies responded in the bottom of the

frame when walks by Parra and Charlie Blackmon set the stage for a three-run homer to deep center field off the bat of

Mark Reynolds. Senzatela settled down after that, posting 1-2-3 innings in the second and third. He gave up two walks,

one of which was intentional, in the fourth inning. His outing was marred after serving up a home run to Wil Myers in the

fifth inning, putting the score up to 4-3.

Senzatela finished the night throwing five innings on 83 pitches, allowing four runs on four hits, three walks and two

strikeouts.

The Rockies responded in the bottom of the fifth with four runs of their own. Blackmon got the party started with a triple

and was promptly driven in with a flyball to left field by DJ LeMahieu. However, an error on the sacrifice fly by Padres

right fielder Jabari Blash allowed LeMahieu to reach safely. A single by Parra put runners on first and second for

Gonzalez’s two-run double to deep center. Gonzalez scored later on the inning thanks to a single by Amarista. The score

was 7-4 Rockies after five innings of baseball.

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The Padres pushed right back, scoring two runs off of Chris Rusin in the top of the sixth. Further defensive issues

hounded the Rockies as the Padres got two infield singles. Jordan Lyles came on with two outs to relieve Rusin and the

defense was given a change when Pat Valaika was brought in to play third base. Lyles was able to induce a groundball to

shortstop to end the top half of the sixth inning with the score 7-6 Rockies.

The Rockies added some extra cushion in the bottom of the sixth. Valaika singled to lead off the inning, then was brought

home by Parra’s double. After a wild pitch by Padres reliever Jose Torres and a walk to Reynolds, Gonzalez drove in

Parra with a single to right, pushing the score to 9-7 in favor of the Rockies.

Lyles allowed a home run to Carlos Asuaje in the top of the seventh then, like Rusin, became a victim of defensive

miscues. An error by LeMahieu and a bobbled ball ruled as a hit by Valaika made things quite tense. But Reynolds, Story

and Lyles were able to turn a nifty 3-6-1 double play to get out of it.

The score remained at 9-7 when Greg Holland came in during the ninth and struck out the side in dominating fashion to

notch his league-leading 30th save.

The Rockies finish out the series with the Padres at 1:10 p.m. MT tomorrow. Jon Gray will be facing off against Clayton

Richard in a battle of the staff aces that could diminish the taco’s chances. Hopefully the Rockies win nonetheless.

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Amidst adversity, Venezuela inspires Carlos González and the Colorado Rockies By Ben Macaluso / Rox Pile | July 18th, 2017

In the face of shortages and anti-government protests, Colorado Rockies right fielder Carlos González has a message of

hope for his fellow Venezuelans.

“Espero que todo se mejore y que seamos un país libre. Esta lleno de muchísimo talento y espero que todo se mejore,”

González dijo.

“I hope the situation improves and that we are a free country. It is full of a lot of talented people and I just hope it

improves,” González said.

On July 30, there will be an election in Venezuela to decide if delegates will rewrite the country’s constitution as proposed

by president Nicolás Maduro. Opposition activists held a symbolic vote on Sunday in a nonbinding

referendum. More than 7 million Venezuelans voted in the referendum with 700,000 voting from overseas. González was

one of those people at a voting station in Denver.

“It’s a way to support our country,” González said speaking of the vote. “Doesn’t matter where we are at. It’s still

Venezuela. Everything we do here, in some way we are always representing our family, our culture, all the fans and

everybody that supports us.”

But a lot of the people that support González are still in Venezuela. His mind is never far from home.

“It’s hard because I have so many family members there still,” González said. “You have some of your mind over there.

You hope everybody stays safe with all of the problems that we have. It is what it is. It’s one of those things we have to

deal with.”

Growing up in Maracaibo, Venezuela, González spent many days at his grandma’s house. Nearby was a place that sold

beer and other bottled drinks. The bottle caps left behind were formative to one of the greatest players to ever wear a

Rockies uniform. These caps led to a game called “chapitas.” All you need for this game is a stick and a bottle cap.

González brought these caps for his friends to play with in the neighborhood.

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As much as González played chapitas, he said his hometown was more formative to how he developed as a baseball

player. Being in the second biggest city in Venezuela, there were many little league places for CarGo to play. The tropical

sunny weather didn’t hurt either.

“The competition over there is really nice,” González said. There are a lot of good players that I had the opportunity to play

against, like King Félix [Hernández] growing up.”

That great competition helped develop his game quickly but it made him grow up even quicker. González explains that

normally in Venezuela you sign a major league contract when you are 15 or 16. Many times Venezuelan players are

entering rookie ball when others in the United States are just finishing high school or going into college.

“It helps you to grow faster in so many different ways,” he said. “Not just baseball. Coming from Venezuela at age 16, it’s

life changing. You are not with your mom or your parents any more. You have to find your own place to live, find a way to

get to the ballpark and find a way to eat. It helps you grow as a person.”

“Compared to the other guys who have time to go to school if they decide to go pro, they go pro. But for us it’s like okay

you either quit school and go play or forget about a baseball career.”

González took his career to the apex by representing his home country in this year’s World Baseball Classic. While he

said it was special to play, especially this year, he is just happy to play in the tournament again, after his first appearance

in 2013. His favorite part of the classic (after having the colors of the Venezuelan flag across his chest) is sharing the

same clubhouse with his fellow countrymen like Miguel Cabrera, José Altuve and Salvador Pérez.

That may be one of the most special things about the Rockies clubhouse for González. There are six Venezuelan players

on this 40-man roster including González, Gerardo Parra, Alexi Amarista, Antonio Senzatela, Germán Márquez and Jairo

Díaz.

Parra’s locker is right next to CarGo’s. Their friendship goes far beyond baseball and is united in love for their home

country. On Parra’s glove is a stitching of the Venezuelan flag, instead of where the manufacturer’s logo is usually placed.

He is from Santa Bárbara del Zulia, Venezuela. One thing that resonates for Parra in Venezuela and the Rockies

clubhouse, is family.

“I just have pride in my country. Venezuela is beautiful. Venezuela is strong. We are happy we have a lot of Venezuelan

guys but I think when you are coming into the clubhouse it’s Colorado Rockies. We work together, win together, lose

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together. We’re family. The Rockies is my family right now. When we come to play baseball, we don’t think wherever we

are from. We’re strong. We play hard every day,” Parra said.

These veterans are paving the way for rookies like Senzatela to feel a part of the Rockies family. The 22-year old righty

from Valencia, Venezuela didn’t pitch higher than the Double-A level in 2016. He said that González has been

instrumental in his development by learning what pitches to throw against certain hitters. Having several Venezuelan

teammates has only eased his transition in the majors.

“They do an awesome job with me, with any rookies,” Senzatela said referring to his Venezuelan teammates. “It’s good

[that they are from my home country] because you feel like you are really friends. They talk to me a lot.”

It is not lost on González that this Rockies club has a rich tradition of Venezuelan baseball players here in Denver. CarGo

grew up watching one of the best Blake Street Bombers, Andrés Galarraga.

“I grew up watching a lot of Rockies games because it comes from way back when Galarraga was a star. I’m having the

same opportunity he had playing for the Rockies. It’s funny to think about because I dream of playing the game and being

in the big leagues and watching Galarraga play. I never imagined I was going to end up here. It’s a great opportunity.”

It might start off with something as small as a bottle cap, but the impact González will have on Venezuela and the Rockies

will be immeasurable long after he’s hung up his purple pinstripes.

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CarGo drives in 3, Parra scores 3 as Rockies pick up 3rd-straight win By MSH Staff / Mile High Sports | July 18th, 2017

Carlos Gonzalez finally had the game he’d been waiting for. The struggling Rockies slugger knocked in three runs on a

pair of hits in a 9-7 victory that ensured a series win over the San Diego Padres. The win was Colorado’s third in a row.

Heading into Tuesday’s tilt with the Padres, Gonzalez was hitting a meager .214 for the season with just 22 RBIs. He was

4-for-30 and did not have an extra-base hit in his last 10 games. A double in the fifth inning drove in a pair of runs and an

RBI single in the sixth elicited a major display of emotion from the 31-year-old. Gonzalez finished the night 2-for-4 with

three RBIs and a run scored.

Gerardo Parra recorded an RBI in his eighth straight game since returning from the DL. He had three hits, two walks and

three runs scored. Parra is now hitting .352 on the season.

Mark Reynolds hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning.

Antonio Senzatela (10-3, 4.67) allowed three runs in the first and another in the fifth, his final inning, in his first start since

June 22 to earn the win. Chris Rusin had an uncharacteristically rough night, allowing two runs on three hits while only

recording a pair of outs in the sixth.

A pair of errors – one by DJ LeMaheiu and one by Pat Valaika – in the seventh inning almost spelled doom for Jordan

Lyles (who had allowed a leadoff home run in the inning), but Mark Reynolds turned a clutch double play to end the inning

and preserve the lead. Valaika and Alexi Amarista, who each played third base during the game as Nolan Arenado had

the night off, both had errors in the game. That matched Arenado’s total on the season in 92 defensive games played.

Greg Holland struck out the side in the ninth inning to earn his MLB-best 30th save on the season.

With the win, Colorado improved to 55-41 and within a half game of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the top spot in the

National League Wild Card. Colorado will go for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon. Jon Gray is scheduled to start for

the Rockies.

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Ian Desmond, Rockies help raise awareness for neurofibromatosis By Alissa Noe / Mile High Sports | July 18th, 2017

During batting practice prior to Tuesday night’s game, Ian Desmond and the Colorado Rockies hosted a group of families

from the Children’s Tumor Foundation in a move to raise awareness for neurofibromatosis and to give the guests a much-

needed escape from the trials that the disease poses.

Since 2012, Desmond has become an integral part of the community, using his platform as a Major League Baseball

player to help raise awareness and, in turn, donations for an organization near and dear to him.

Michael Lynn, a board member of the Colorado chapter for CTF, attended the event and the game with his family. As the

father of a child with neurofibromatosis type I, Lynn said that the event, as well as Desmond’s involvement in raising

awareness, has meant the world to him and his family.

“It’s tremendous that someone like Ian is so involved with it, because there aren’t that many people that know about

neurofibromatosis, and it’s more common than cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy combined, but it’s not very well-

known, so to have someone on such a large stage as Ian be so involved and take such passion to get the word out there

has been a tremendous boon for the organization for anybody with NF,” Lynn said.

“I know he’s so very well-liked among the CTF community and the NF community around the nation for getting this word

out. When he was with the Nationals, when he was with the Rangers, and now here with the Rockies, he’s had a profound

impact with all the communities there. He’s such a national platform for us to raise awareness, and it’s so tremendous for

everybody.”

Neurofibromatosis affects nearly 1 in every 3,000 births, varying between type I, type II, and schwannomatosis. Those

who suffer from it carry the potential to grow lumps and tumors, usually benign, all along their peripheral nervous systems,

which often require numerous surgeries to be removed. With the tumors often come additional health problems, as is the

case with 9-year-old Erik Lynn, who also suffers from epilepsy and a hampered development.

“We’ve had several trips to Children’s Hospital, we’ve had several overnight stays and he’s had several operations and

surgeries,” Lynn said. “It’s been a tough road so far for him, so hopefully we’re doing everything we can and hopefully I’m

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doing everything I can as part of the board to get the word out there. We really strive for awareness in the local community

and also to help the National Tumor Foundation find a cure for NF.”

Desmond began his involvement with End NF and CTF five years ago when he met a man named Ethan Brown, who

would later become a good friend.

“It started in 2012,” Desmond recalled. “I got on Twitter and I started following things I had interest in, and I followed a

feed, ‘Unashamed Athletes.’ This young man, Ethan, sent out a prayer request that Unashamed Athletes retweeted, and

at that point I said, ‘Hey man, I’ll pray for you, no doubt.’

“He had a big surgery coming up. I think it was a brain surgery and basically from that point on, we became really close

friends. I’ve seen the way that it affects him, I’ve seen him go through quite a bit physically, emotionally, and his family,

the same. I think we all as players want to make an impact, and at that point I had a high school diploma, my family’s

relatively healthy, and I just felt like all I could give back was to baseball.

“After meeting Ethan and seeing how many and how severe the impact is on families that suffer from neurofibromatosis, I

felt like this is something I can get behind. Since then, with the help of a lot of really good people, I’ve been able to join

forces with them and be a part of that community, spread some awareness, raise some money, and get to build a lot of

really good, meaningful relationships.”

Since the pair first met in 2012, Brown has seen his condition worsen as he’s had to make some difficult decisions.

Desmond has been there to support him through it all.

“The first time that we met, Ethan could walk, talk, hear and was fully-functional for the most part,” Desmond said. “Since

then, he’s basically been confined to a wheelchair. He’s been in therapy to walk again, which, to his credit, he’s made a

ton of progress, but he’s still got work to do and he knows that he’s lost his hearing at times, [and the] majority of his

vision.

“He’s got NF2, so he’s got a tumor on each side of his brain stem, and they’re going, and you can do radiation to shrink

them. You got to go in and do surgery. At one point, he had a choice. If they go in on one side, he’s going to lose his

ability to have motor skills functionality, or if they went in on the other side, he would lose his hearing, so he chose his

hearing.”

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As the friendship started to blossom, Desmond and Brown found a special way to commemorate their relationship while

simultaneously keeping the End NF mantra close to their hearts – literally.

“I think we were on the field maybe the second or third time that we met, we were in Atlanta, and Ethan was there, it was

probably a couple-hour drive to get to the game, and we were in BP and he was kind of checking out my tattoos,”

Desmond said. “I was like, ‘Man, you’re too scared to get a tattoo.’ He was like, ‘You know what I go through? I can get a

tattoo.’ And I was like, ‘Man, whatever tattoo you get, I’ll get the same tattoo.’ At the time he had no tattoos, and I don’t

think he ever thought about getting a tattoo, but I think when he said that, it kind of sparked him to do it.”

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The two ended up getting near-identical tattoos of a coat of arms emblazoned with their initials and “End NF” inked into

their forearms. Desmond proudly wears his on his left arm.

Over the years, Desmond has partaken in his fair share of NF awareness events with the Washington Nationals, Texas

Rangers and now, the Colorado Rockies.

“It’s great,” Desmond said. “I think the original idea was to get people from the community together so that they could

share their experiences – maybe a family going through something, maybe they had a doctor – and some sort of insight

that might help another family. It can get them together and help them realize that, ‘Hey, we’re not alone in this.’ It’s been

great. The families really enjoy coming to the ballpark. It gives them a little bit of an escape just like it gives me an escape,

so to share that with them is great.”

When Desmond first signed with the Rockies, Lynn and his family got the chance to meet with him and are grateful for the

consciousness and donations he’s brought in for the organization. With successful clinical trials in the works and a

possible cure right around the corner, those donations are more important than ever.

“Every year, we’ve had an NF night for the Rockies here, and so when Ian signed with us, the Rockies gave me a call,

knowing I was involved with [CTF] and talked to me about this program that he wanted to have,” Lynn said. “We came the

first night to talk to him and meet him, and I was on the field to receive the check from him for the $16,000, and through

that I’ve been able to talk to him and his wife and kids. He’s been such a great guy.”

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For his part, Desmond said he’s happy he can help make an impact for the NF community and a great friend, who’s

already had a major effect on his life over the past five years.

“It’s crazy because I think from the outside, people think I’m making a huge impact on him, but for me, him and his family

make an equal impact on my life and my family,” Desmond said. “In the NF community, they have this thing where it’s ‘I

know a fighter.’ And that probably stands out the most, and it’s awesome to see how these families and these individuals

who are affected by neurofibromatosis are so optimistic, and my family and I draw from that.

“There’s really nothing that can hold you back as long as you have a positive mindset. I’ve never met somebody with NF

that felt down and out. They’re all smiling, they’re all, for the most part, happy and encouraged to know that there are

people out there fighting for us. There is hope.”

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Carlos Gonzalez’ bat and smile return to Coors Field, Rockies win third straight By Drew Creasman / BSN Denver | July 18th, 2017

DENVER – Before Tuesday night’s contest between the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres, it was announced

that Colorado had optioned the incredible promising Raimel Tapia in favor of keeping veteran Carlos Gonzalez, and his

.221 batting average, on the roster.

The move was met with much scorn and it’s easy to see why. But for one night, at least, CarGo reminded everyone why

the club has shown such persistent faith in him. He drove in three in a game that was decided by two. And for the first

time in a long time, the baseball cathedral that is Coors Field was lit by his mile-high smile once again.

The Rox and Pads traded body blows early, each plating three runs in the first frame. Carlos Asuaje hit a one-out double

and Wil Myers drew a walk to set the stage for an RBI double off the bat of Jose Pirela. Just one run scored and after a

good play at third from Alexi Amarista, Nolan Arenado‘s fill-in for the day almost made an even better play to save two

runs, diving to his left and knocking down a line drive from Jabari Blash. But as he hurried to his feet, he also hurried his

throw and two more runs scored as it skipped past Mark Reynolds at first.

As has often been the case during the first few months of his career, Senzatela was knocked around right out of the gate,

but, also according to his normal routine, he showed mental fortitude and settled into a rhythm not allowing any further

damage beyond a solo home run in the fifth.

His final line: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. He threw 52 of his 83 for strikes. A solid outing his first time back after being

moved to the bullpen and then optioned to Triple-A. Those moves also likely explain why he was shut down at 83 pitches,

still building back to full strength and thinking about long-term effects on the arm.

A pair of walks from Charlie Blackmon and Gerardo Parra paid off on one huge swing from Reynolds who drove one deep

over the center field fence, his 20th homer of the season, to tie the game at three. It was the first time Reynolds has left

the yard since June 26 against the San Francisco Giants, also a three-run shot.

And then there was silence. At least, for a few innings before the teams got back to trading punches.

Myers put the Padres back on top with a solo shot in the top of the fifth, working out some frustration for his four-strikeout

night a game ago. Once again, the Rockies answered immediately in the bottom of the inning on a lead-off triple from

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Blackmon who scored on a sac fly by DJ LeMahieu. Blackmon would have scored either way, but the right fielder, Blash,

dropped LeMahieu’s line drive, perhaps rushing a throw that had no chance, and LeMahieu reached first. Parra followed

with a single that chased Padres starter Dinelson Lamet from the game.

Reynolds struck out and Gonzalez strode to the plate, which lately has meant either another strike out or a ground ball (in

this case a double play) and the end of a potential rally. Not this time. Gonzalez laced a double that split the gap in right-

center, scoring LeMahieu and Parra and giving the Rockies a two-run lead. Amarista later came through with a two-out

single to stretch the lead out to 7-4, Colorado. Despite the early error, it was a nice night for Amarista (who also arguably

could have been removed from the roster instead of Tapia) as he collected three hits and an RBI.

Blackmon’s triple gave him 12 on the season, meaning he is now not just in first place in MLB in that category but has

twice as many as anyone else with three players tied at six apiece. The Rockies outfielder also still leads baseball in hits

at 126.

Back came San Diego, getting two infield hits against Chris Rusin in the sixth. The runners moved up on a passed ball

and came into score on a ground out and a two-out single from Matt Szczur. Jordan Lyles had to be called upon to record

the final out and he did, preserving a narrow 7-6 lead.

Colorado counterpunched yet again, getting a lead-off pinch-hit walk from Pat Valaika, a two-out double from Parra and

an RBI single from Gonzalez to make it 9-6. It was the fourth time Parra reached base in the game, having also walked

twice and singled earlier. He drove in a run and scored three times. He is now hitting .348 on the season.

In the top of the seventh, Carlos Asuaje hit the first home run of his MLB career off of Lyles, yet another immediate

scoring response, making it 9-7. Thing got incredibly tense at Coors Field as the Rockies uncharacteristically committed

two infield errors, one at second, and their second of the game at third, this time from Valaika, loading the bases. Bud

Black stuck with the much-maligned Lyles and it didn’t come back to haunt him as the righty induced just one more

ground ball, finally getting the inning-ending double play he had earned.

There have been plenty of fair critiques of Lyles throughout the 2017 campaign and he still could find himself on the

outside if the Rockies do indeed acquire bullpen help at or before the trade deadline. But you have to give the guy credit

for essentially needing to induce the double play ball three different times in one inning and never letting it get away from

him.

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Jake McGee worked a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth and Greg Holland recorded his 30th save of the season by striking out

the side in the ninth. He has arguably been the Rockies single biggest acquisition this season.

Colorado improved to 55-41 but with both the Dodgers and Diamondbacks winning have only maintained pace in both the

NL West and Wild Card races.

What’s Next

The Rockies will go for a sweep against the Padres Wednesday afternoon. They hand the ball to Jon Gray who is coming

off the worst outing of his career against the New York Mets on Friday. He looks to rebound against Clayton Richard who

comes in sporting a 4.75 ERA.

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Rockies make their only move, optioning Raimel Tapia By Drew Creasman / BSN Denver | July 18th, 2017

The Colorado Rockies have optioned outfielder Raimel Tapia to Triple-A Albuquerque. This comes despite the club’s

recent offensive struggles and the fact that Tapia hit .314 with the big club, and .364 since being inserted into the starting

lineup on June 10. He was getting on base at a .411 clip and slugging .557 over that span. He also showed that he needs

improvement in left field defensively, and running the bases.

The move comes not long after Gerardo Parra and Ian Desmond returned from injuries, though the corresponding move

was the return of Antonio Senzatela, who will pitch Tuesday night.

This move may seem hard to justify and could ultimately be proven the wrong one. But it was also, in many ways, the only

thing Colorado could do right now.

Parra has earned his playing time with an excellent performance at the plate and far steadier defense than Tapia that still

comes with the occasional web gem. Desmond hasn’t been quite as good as the Rockies had hoped, but whatever one

may think of his play thus far into a five-year, $70 million contract, he’s going to be out there when healthy. His resume

suggests a second-half breakout, as does his hard contact percentage, and the pragmatics involved in removing him from

the roster would require him to be playing far worse than he is. For what it’s worth, the Rockies are confident in

Desmond’s ability to contribute, specifically citing him missing almost all of spring training for a slow start.

This move also gives insight into how the Rockies feel about their roster heading into the July 31 trade deadline. If they

truly felt they were in desperate need of a quality bat, they wouldn’t be optioning Tapia.

So now, the real question now becomes: How long can the organization hold out hope that Carlos Gonzalez will rebound

to some degree – to any degree — at the expense of a kid so talented? To be fair, it isn’t entirely at Tapia’s expense. The

outfielder could use everyday at-bats, and even with CarGo out of the starting lineup, there still isn’t room for him to do

that. As with the young pitching staff, the Rockies want Tapia at his best and in rhythm at the end of the season, and

getting him there means not letting him get rusty on the bench.

If he takes it well and uses this as an opportunity to refine his game, Tapia could and should be fine. He’s never been

short on confidence. And this could all sort itself out in a manner of weeks via a plethora of potential roster shuffling

scenarios. A trade, an injury, or even a DFA could have Tapia back before you know it.

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But will the MLB club be fine?

Another wrinkle to this is that the Rockies have handcuffed themselves with their dedication to the eight-man bullpen

which also means a four-man bench. It’s mostly worked so far but now that it appears CarGo’s .214 batting average

and Alexi Amarista‘s .250 (career .231) mark are taking up half the spots, it’s going to become a deeper problem. Throw

in that the Rockies are getting almost no offensive production from the catcher spot and on any given day one of those

guys must be on the bench and you are left with Pat Valaika, who has been excellent but shouldn’t be saddled with being

the only pinch-hitter Bud Black can call upon with confidence.

The offense has unquestionably looked better with Parra a part of it. But the window closes tighter each day on Gonzalez,

and the same should be said of Amarista. The latter has served his role well but both players remain on the roster only

because of sound defense, veteran knowledge and their contracts. Also, neither can be removed from the 25-man roster

without the risk of losing them forever, whereas Tapia can be optioned back and forth on a whim.

But Colorado has a bench with three spots that feel empty right now, and three players in Triple-A who have all-star

caliber offensive talent. You can do that in July. And maybe a little bit into August, depending on how July goes. The

current lighter stretch in the schedule certainly helps.

If the Rockies get back to their winning ways, they can ride that out for a little while. But at some point, if those guys don’t

turn it around and the offense goes back into a slump, keeping Tapia off the MLB roster will become even harder to justify.

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Slumping Gonzalez leads Rockies to 9-7 win over Padres By Associated Press / ESPN.com | July 18th, 2017

DENVER -- The hot-hitting Gerardo Parra hasn't uttered a word to good friend Carlos Gonzalez about his prolonged

slump. There's no reason to.

"Even if he struggles, CarGo's still the man of the team," Parra said. "A great game for him today."

Gonzalez lined a two-run double for his first extra-base hit in nearly a month, Parra reached base five times , scoring three

runs, and the Colorado Rockiesbeat the San Diego Padres 9-7 on Tuesday night.

Mark Reynolds added a three-run homer in the first for the Rockies, who have won three in a row and scored 31 runs in

the process.

"Maybe 20 more tomorrow," Parra cracked. "Stay positive. We have a great team here."

Antonio Senzatela (10-3) regrouped from an erratic start to allow four runs, three earned, over five innings. His 10 wins

are the most among rookies in the majors this season.

Greg Holland struck out the side in the ninth for his major league-leading 30th save. It was win No. 1,000 for Colorado at

Coors Field.

This wasn't exactly a memorable 25th birthday for Padres starter Dinelson Lamet (3-4). He surrendered six runs, five

earned, in four innings.

"He's commanding the slider and he's having trouble commanding the fastball," Padres manager Andy Green explained.

"If he wants to be great he's got to get to his great pitch sooner (instead of staying) with the fastball."

Mired in a season-long slump, Gonzalez hit the ball hard twice -- a two-run double in the fifth to break a tie game and a

two-out RBI single an inning later. He entered the game 4 for 27 in July.

Over the last few days, Gonzalez made some slight tweaks to his swing. He also watched old video of his All-Star self.

"It's not like we're re-inventing something or trying to change my swing. Just try to be like my old self," Gonzalez said.

"Just try to stay more calm, lower my hands, not over-swing. Try to put a good swing on the ball."

Parra has been swinging a hot bat since coming off the disabled list with a strained right quadriceps on July 7. He was 3

for 3 with two walks and a run-scoring double. He has at least one RBI in all eight games since his return.

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San Diego jumped out to a three-run lead in the first, but it didn't last long as Reynolds followed with a three-run homer to

straightaway center.

Wil Myers added a solo shot in the fifth and Carlos Asuaje hit his first major league homer in the seventh. The Padres had

a chance to make some more noise in the seventh, loading the bases with one out, but Erick Aybar hit into a 3-6-1 double

play.

Senzatela struggled with his control in his first start since June 22. Once he found his groove, he retired eight straight at

one point.

The 22-year-old bounced around between the bullpen and Triple-A in recent weeks to keep his innings in check.

Senzatela was the NL rookie of the month for April.

"I felt strong," Senzatela said. "I felt really good today."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: C Austin Hedges was placed on the seven-day concussion DL after taking a foul ball off his mask Friday. "I think

his issue is he can pass a written test, but when you ramp up activity and you start sweating and getting ready to play a

game of baseball, it's a different level," Green explained.

Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis allowed one run over 2 2/3 innings Tuesday in his second rehab appearance for Double-A

Hartford. He's working his way back from testicular cancer.

THIS & THAT

Rockies OF Charlie Blackmonextended his hitting streak to 13 games with a triple in the fifth. ... A fan sitting along the

third-base side appeared to be hit in the face on a foul ball from Jabari Blash in the seventh. She was escorted from her

seat by medical personnel. ... Alexi Amarista filled in at third base with Gold Glover Nolan Arenado taking a night off. ...

Parra wore an ice pack on his right calf after fouling a pitch off his leg.

UP NEXT

Padres: LHP Clayton Richard (5-9, 4.75 ERA) takes the mound Wednesday to close out the three-game series against

Colorado. He has a league-leading 218 ground balls this season. Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (2-1, 6.23 ERA) had a

franchise-record 16 strikeouts in his last start against San Diego on Sept. 17, 2016, at Coors Field.